Indonesia has a population of around 280 million, with a growing demand for data centers and AI tech in the region.

Gates visited Prabowo and Indonesian philanthropists in the capital Jakarta, where he spoke about his optimism that AI-driven innovation will help tackle global challenges.

"AI is going to help us discover new tools. And even in the delivery of health and education and agriculture advice, we'll be using AI," he told a meeting.

"Once we finish [eradicating] polio, we'd like to try and eradicate measles and malaria as well. We have some new tools for that. And of course, part of my optimism about the innovation is because we have now artificial intelligence."

UN agencies have been campaigning for four decades to eradicate  polio, most often spread through sewage and contaminated water.

The billionaire philanthropist has donated more than US$159 million to Indonesia since 2009, mostly to the health sector including to fund vaccines, Prabowo said.

Gates later visited an elementary school in Jakarta alongside Prabowo to see students having free meals as part of a program launched by the Indonesian leader.

Prabowo also announced plans to give Gates Indonesia's highest civilian award for his "contribution to the Indonesian people and the world".

Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella last year pledged a $1.7 billion investment in AI and cloud computing to help develop Indonesia's AI infrastructure.

Late last month, a group of philanthropies including the Gates Foundation has set up a fund backed with nearly $500 million to help save the lives of newborn babies and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, standing out against a bleak global health funding landscape.

The Beginnings Fund was launched on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the home of another key backer - the United Arab Emirates' recently rebranded Muhamad Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity. 

The project has been in the works for at least a year. But its role has become more important as governments worldwide follow the US in pulling back from international aid, its chief executive Alice Kang’ethe told Reuters in an interview.